We spend a month in the calm safety of the woods and I have been training hard every day since I recovered fully three weeks ago and this morning we are leaving safety and once again setting out on our journey.
"Come Peyson let us get to the river the Lord and Lady of the wood are waiting for us," Legolas' voice cuts through my reverie as I stand in the clearing we had made home for the last month staring up at the trees and saying goodbye.
"Sorry I was just…"
"Saying goodbye to the trees," he says smiling and I shake my head slightly offering him a small smile.
"Saying goodbye to peace, I feel that we are heading into greater danger than we have faced yet," I answer and he nods.
"I feel it too," he responds softly before taking my arm and leading me onwards.
"I'll take your pack Peyson," Frodo offers smiling and I smile too sensing that he needs the distraction so I take off my pack and give it to him waving at Merry and Pippin as they see me and wave madly at me from their position in one of the three boats resting there.
"They have grown very fond of you," Aragorn mutters in my ear and I turn smiling slightly at him.
"And I of them," I answer before he drags me to the line forming in front of the boats as the elves approach us.
"Never before have be dressed strangers in our garb, let us hope that these cloaks will shield you from unfriendly eyes," Lord Celeborn says and I bow my head in thanks as the others do glad for the automatic warmth offered to me by the surprisingly soft fabric of the cloak as an elf fastens it around my shoulders. Galadriel then steps down towards us and moves along the line gifting us presents to help us on our quest. To Legolas she gives a new bow which is beautiful, the most beautiful bow I have ever seen and his reverence makes me beam too. She then gives Merry and Pippin ornate little daggers and Sam some rope at which point he asks for a dagger which makes me stifle a giggle, feeling immediately guilty and embarrassed as everyone turns to look at me until I catch Galadriel's eye that is and see her offer me a small smile which I return fully. I'm not sure what she gives Gimli for he is whispering to her and I have been distracted once again by Frodo who is standing next to me and looking worried.
"Frodo do not worry we are all here with you and we shall be to the very end," I say in a whisper and he looks up reaching up to take my hand in his.
"I know you will Peyson but I still fear what lies in wait once we leave the safety of these woods,"
"I do to Frodo but we shall face any dangers together and be stronger for it," I add giving his hand a squeeze before letting it go as Galadriel approaches Aragorn who is standing on my other side.
"I can give you no greater gift than that you already have," she is saying and I notice something flicker across his face as I shift my gaze and try to control my breathing as pain shoots through my chest suddenly.
"Peyson my child," I look back up startled to see Lady Galadriel in front of me now and holding my gaze steadily. "For you I have two gifts," she says and I open my mouth a little to protest but she holds up a hand to stop me before holding out a beautiful elven made sword. "I hope this sword will bring you luck and help both you and those around you in battle,"
"Th… thank you so much," I stutter as I take it from her and admire it.
"My second gift," she starts pulling my attention back to her, "this is a gift that I hope will bring you some peace, the dreams you have been having I believe that your bloodline has some of the sight in it but there is not time to train you or investigate such claims at this time so in order to keep you hidden from the eye of Sauron wear this always," she says handing me a necklace which I take in shaking hands nodding my thanks unable to speak as I take in all she has said to me.
Feeling a pressure on my arm I look up to see Aragorn trying to get my attention,
"It cannot be true," I whisper to him almost as if I am asking him to make it not true, to make my life the simple thing it used to be.
"The lady sees many things that we do not," he answers me giving me a sad smile and I shake my head,
"I am not the person you all seem to think I am, I am not special I am just a village girl who may live longer than others that is all," I say shakily and he shakes his head at me.
"That is not true Peyson, I do not believe that to be true," he says, "now come we must be leaving now," and he pulls me towards the river again lifting me and settling me into a boat with Merry, Pippin and Boromir and I am in so much shock still I don't complain, I barely even notice so lost am in my own thoughts.
It is nearly three days before I feel I have come back to myself and I know that the others have all been worried about me. The only good thing is that with Galadriel's necklace on at least the nightmares are no longer there, I can sleep at last without fearing that I will wake everyone, put us in danger or relive the worst moments of my life.
We are camping beside the river as Aragorn has decided that we are far enough ahead of any enemies to rest for the night and he thinks that tomorrow will be our last day on the river before we must set off on foot again.
"I will take first watch," I announce quietly when we have finished eating and they all look up at me before nodding and settling down to sleep. It is not long before I feel him approach me and sit beside me, his pipe resting between his lips as he silently watches me.
"How are you little one?" he whispers eventually.
"I'm scared Aragorn," I admit after staring out across the river for a while,
"I know, we all are, if I thought I could persuade you I would have asked you to stay in the safety of Lorien," he sighs and I look up at him quickly,
"You don't want me with you?"
"You know that is not what I meant Peyson," he replies.
"Sometimes I wish I could go back to before when my life was easy when everything makes sense," I say in a tiny voice and he looks over at me again for a long time before answering me.
"I wish that it were," he says and I nod giving him a watery smile.
"You should get some rest," I say after a while and he smiles again, "I will wake you for your watch soon enough and you shall be glad of the rest I gave you," I add and he gives a soft chuckle at this before nodding and standing and resting his hand on my shoulder. He lifts his hand and suddenly tucks a stray strand of hair gently behind my ear which makes my breath hitch and for a second I think that I am dreaming and he will kiss me but he doesn't he just smiles and then leaves, my skin burning where his fingers had touched it and my heart thudding loudly in my ears.
By the next afternoon I think I have just about got my heart rate back under control and as we pull the boats to shore I focus my attention on the hobbits and especially Frodo who seems more weary than ever. I feel quite guilty actually I promised to be there for him and all I have done is worry about myself. As I approach him I can hear Sam trying to convince him to eat something and so I decide to chip in and help.
"Frodo do not tell me you are turning down Sam's beautiful cooking you shall make me worry if you do not eat," I say gently as I sit down beside him and he looks up at me and I see the glimmer of a sad smile cross his face as I give him my best pleading stare.
"You are right Peyson, as always, I am sorry Sam I should love some," he says eventually and I relax a little while Sam visibly relaxes and shoots me a silent thank you before handing Frodo a bowel of soup. I sit with them for a while before my attention is drawn by Merry and Pippin for a while when Sam has gone to wash up the pans.
"Where is Frodo?" Sam asks as he walks back towards me and I spin around to see him gone from his spot beside me.
"Boromir is gone too," my blood runs suddenly cold as I hear the words and fear fills me as I stand up and gaze around seeing similar worry in the faces of Legolas and Aragorn. Before either of them can say or do anything my bow is on my back and I am sprinting through the forest looking for them both. I feel as if I am running for hours before I hear a cry to my left and changing direction burst into a clearing by some ruins to see Boromir on top of Frodo trying to wrestle the ring away from him.
"NO," I scream launching myself at them both and somehow managing to push Boromir from Frodo freeing him. Boromir rounds on me and I can see in that moment that he is no longer himself, his eyes are empty and dead and he is only aware of the ring. It has taken him.
"Whore," he bellows launching himself at me but I manage to use my slightness to my advantage and deflect him.
"Use the ring Frodo, RUN," I scream when I see Frodo watching us in shock,
"You would use it for yourself," Boromir spits from behind me and as I watch Frodo disappear I feel the full force of Boromir as he lands on me, crushing me to the ground and knocking the wind from me somehow I push him off me and try to run but I am winded and he is behind me. He grabs my hair making me yelp in pain and surprise as he pulls me back smashing my head and the side of my face into the rough bark of a tree. I feel instant nausea rise in me as my head spins but before I can focus on anything I feel his fingers around my throat and my feet lifted from the ground as he chokes me. "You tried to steal what should be mine whore," he growls as I gasp for breath.
"Bor… Boromir this is… is… not you," I struggle black dots beginning to dance in the corners of my vision as he cuts off my air.
"I… Oh Valar what have I done?" he whispers as his fingers loosen and I slump to the ground,
"It… was not… you," I say my voice hoarse and strangled he crouches in front of me now is face so full of guilt and remorse that I want to cry for him.
"Peyson I am so sorry," he whispers.
"As I said not your fault," I mutter trying my best not to let him see how much pain talking causes me, how close he came to killing me. The black spots in my vision have not quite faded and the pain in my head is intense to say the least.
"I nearly…" before he can say anything else though we both start as we hear Merry and Pippin cry out and the unmistakable sound of the enemy charging and looking at each other in petrified determination before setting off at a sprint.
I am just behind Boromir as we run, every breath burning in my lungs my throat and head making me want to just lie down and sleep but I shake it away. I must save them, I must not let any harm come to them. As we burst into another smaller clearing amongst the trees I see both Hobbits unharmed and nearly let out a sob of relief which is quickly replaced with a whimper of terror as I turn slightly and see creatures unlike any I had seen before charging towards us. They are huge, much bigger than the orc's we had faced in Moria and uglier tonal I was guessing a whole lot stronger and smarter at fighting if their weapons and communication was anything to go by. I watch Boromir charge in front of the Hobbits and letting out a battle cry begin to cut them down and swallowing I quickly join him pulling out my sword and letting my muscle memory take over as I engage them.
"Boromir there are too many," I cry out hoarsely as I am thrown off balance by a particularly aggressive Uruk Hai and he throws a knife at the best before it can finish me off and then puts the horn of Gondor to his lips as I scramble to my feet turning back to attack another one.
"Boromir," the cry makes me turn and I scream as I see the arrow in his chest he looks up at me in shock and then stands and bellowing throws himself back into battle but a second later another arrow finds its mark in his shoulder. This time it takes him some time to get back to his feet and I almost miss several attacks as I stare at him only just surviving myself. I step towards him but before I can get anywhere near a third arrow hits him and he does not get up from where he finds himself swaying on his knees. I am crying now as I fight my way towards him, twisting as I hear the cries of Merry and Pippin and I watch them being carried away. I couldn't save them, any of them. I had failed them all and there were too many. They seem to be ignoring me as the rush past me now and I stand not knowing what to do until I see the huge beast that had shot Boromir approach him and raise his bow. I cannot leave Boromir to die like that not when he had fought so bravely and as I scream out and rush towards him I am reminded of what must be less than half an hour ago when I was doing the same to Boromir. I knock the crossbow from his grip and distract him from Boromir as he throws me to the ground.
"Stupid girl," he snarls as he advances on me and I scramble to my feet holding out my sword.
"You have killed my friend and taken two others very dear to me for that I will kill you," I say proud of how steady my voice is as I do so. He simply laughs at me cruelly before striking at me, I manage to block his blow but my whole arm has shock waves sent down in from the force of his attack and I suddenly realise that I am about to die, there is no way I can beat this thing. I let out another cry as I run at him again but am caught off guard as he catches me around the throat and I am lifted from my feet by my throat for the second time in less than an hour.
"I shall have fun with you," it growls before launching me across the clearing where I land painfully unable to hold in the whimper as I try to roll over the fuzziness in my head not fading and the black spots growing larger. I am just about able to focus of the metal clad feet moving towards me and hear the menacing laugh pierce through the ringing in my ears before blackness engulfs me and I am lost to blissful unconsciousness.